Team owner Martin Halsall stated that the decision was made with “an extremely heavy heart”, but was however keen to emphasise that this would ‘not’ be the final chapter in the teams’ history.

“I am very proud of our success and the journey that the Halsall Racing Team has made following our inception into the British paddock back in 2012. We have progressed to become one of the leading operators in the domestic Series and for that reason, I must thank everyone involved including our loyal supporters that have followed us throughout this incredible journey”, commented Halsall. “I would like to pay particular thanks to Tommy Bridewell. He has been a valuable asset to the team and his efforts have been unprecedented. In my opinion, Tommy is certainly one of the most talented riders to grace the BSB paddock in recent years and I hope that he can move forward with a team that is worthy of his ability and passion for the sport. I wish him the very best for 2017.”

Lancashire Entrepreneur Halsall expanded further on his announcement indicating that there were certain “imbalances” within the series that “made it extremely difficult to continue”.

“There is not an endless supply of funds and the costs associated with operating a leading factory team in the British Superbike series can be exorbitant. Whilst it is possible to continue next year, there comes a point when you must consider all the options and evaluate whether there is any return on your investment or if the financial continuation remains viable. That was fundamentally one of the primary reasons behind my recent departure from Suzuki. The high costs associated with Suzuki’s involvement simply did not equate to factory support in my opinion. Teams need assistance if they are to go racing, whether that is from the manufacturer or the Series promoter. It certainly cannot be achieved in isolation or on the reliance of one individual.”

“My hope was that a solution could be found with another manufacturer following our recent announcement to move away from Suzuki. But despite our best efforts to deliver what I considered to be the ‘most compelling package’ for the Series in 2017, that also included an involvement in the roads, there was simply no appetite from the parties involved or the Series operator despite my best efforts. The outcome was extremely disappointing to say the least despite myself and the team being extremely open to a variety of options.” 

Halsall would not expand on which teams had been approached, but the disappointment in failing to secure an agreement before the end of the season had supported the team owners’ decision to vacate the British Superbike paddock in 2017.

“This will certainly not be the end of the campaign for Halsall Racing. We are currently exploring a variety of options that will allow us to bring our vast experience and professionalism to motorcycle racing in some capacity. Where that will take us next, only time will tell, but I can categorically state that there will be a future return to racing and those plans will become much clearer over the coming weeks. May I again take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, from the team personnel, our riders and their families, along with the loyal army of fans that have supported Halsall Racing Team throughout this epic journey over the last four years. We’ll see you all again very soon.” concluded Halsall.